Posts by Dr. Bruce Epperly

Faith on the Edge Podcasts

Pastor Epperly records a weekly podcast at faithontheedge.org with the Reverend Steve Kindle, President of Faith on the Edge.  These podcasts are part of a series of podcasts with spiritual innovators who are on the leading edge of faithful change.  Click on the word “Podcasts” below to link to Faith on the Edge’s podcast site.…

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 13, 2016

Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8Today’s passages invite us to embrace God’s future while honoring the past. Guided by Christ’s vision, we keep our eyes on the prize, constantly moving ahead. Faith tends towards a type of chaos, an iconoclasm that pushes beyond our institutional structures. But, innovative faith needs to be balanced…

Earth Day

I’m just back from a few days at Mystic, Connecticut, with the three generations of the Epperly family.  One of the highpoints of our holiday was taking the grandchildren to the Aquarium and experiencing the wonder of sea lions, sharks, beluga whales, and cownose rays.  We even got to touch a shark and some rays! …

Preaching with Heart, Mind and Spirit

(As published by ProgressiveChristianity.org on September 24, 2014) Preaching is a holistic enterprise. When I was recently installed as the pastor of a United Church of Christ Congregation on Cape Cod, the words of the liturgy proclaimed that I was to be Pastor and Teacher for South Congregational Church in Centerville, Massachusetts. I was to…

How Jesus Played Jazz

http://www.jesusjazzbuddhism.org/how-jesus-played-jazz-he-followed-the-winds-of-the-spirit.html Jesus is like Jazz and Jazz can be like Jesus. Our lives as Jesus’ companions can be like Jazz, too. Jesus was constantly improvising: every encounter was novel and creative. Jesus had a vision – he dreamed of a world in which everyone belonged, and bodies, minds, and spirits were healthy. Jesus didn’t have…